Train coupling



Nov. 1, 1932.

E. P. FICKEISSEN TRAIN COUPLiNG Filed July 14. 1931 INVENTORIEBii'ckeigsen BY 5 ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 1, 1932 UNITED STATES P EDWARDP. FIGKEIS SEN', OF RICHMOND HILL NEW YORK TRAIN GOUPLINQ",

Application filed July 14,

The main object of this invention is to provide a coupling adapted to bemounted upon railway cars or other public or freight carriers which areadapted to mutually interlock two adjacent cars.

Another object of the invention is to provide a standardized type oftrain coupling which is adapted to be mounted upon the ends of railwaycars or other carriers and is adapted to automatically and releasablyinter-lock as the cars are moved toward each other. r

The above and other objects will become apparent in the descriptionbelow in which characters of reference refer to like-named parts in thedrawing.

Referring in detail to the drawing, Fig urel is a bottom plan view oftwo independent coupling members in interlocked position.

Figure 2 is atop plan view of a coupling member.

Figure 3 is a. side elevational view of Fig 'ure 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a coupling unit in reversed position.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numerals 10 and 11 indicate apair of plates which are rigidly secured to each other by rivets,welding or the like. One end of these plates has an eyelet 12formed'thereon to which one end of a relatively strong coil spring 13 issecured. The purpose of the coil spring will be more fully hereinafterdescribed. The plates 10' and 11 form a guide bar for the coupling unitof the plate 10 as rising therefrom a king pin 14 which is anchored insuitable journals in the bottom 15 of the tram or railway car. The guidebar is capable of moving about the axis of this king pin through a smalldegree of arc to accommodate the coupling of trains when the latter areriding around a turn or curve on the road bed. The forward end of theinclined edge 18 of the plate 11 forms a V- shaped gap-19. The plateslO'and 11 are 1 31. Serial in. 550,675.

arranged planes one above the other i;-

and are adapted. to cooperate with an identical coupling unit upon anadjacent car. Beneath the plate 11 of the guide bar a pawl 20 having atooth 21. is pivotally mounted upon astud 22 and is provided witha'reser voir recess 23 immediately behind the tooth 21. 'A resilientfinger 24 has its end imbedded in the short end of the pawl 20 and theouter extremities of; this tongue are retained between a pair of pins 25which are spaced apart from each other and receive the tongue 24 therebetween. a

The device is mounted" beneaththe floor of railway cars or trams andisadapted to be automatically coupled and manually released 7 by theapplication of a rotating pressure upon the pawl handle 26. Normallywhen coupled cars are arranged upon a straight awa track the s rin 13assumes an inactive position and retains the guide bar composed of theplates 10 and 11, parallel to the road bed and rails. All of thecoupling of the units of this type are of identical construction and maybe applied in the manner shown in Figure 1 which shows a bottom planview. When two cars are to be coupled and are on a straight away trackthe finger 27 of the plate 10 will lie adjacent a similarly formed gapin the same plane. The gap adjacent the finger 27 will receive thefinger 27 of the complemental coupling member while the finger 28 on theplate'member 11 will have lying adjacent to it the finger 28 of thecompl'e-e member rest upon the identical edges of the complementalmember. As the inter-locking couplings are being moved into interlockingposition the cam surface 29 on the teeth '21v ofthe pawl members 20 willtrip each other and when the heads or teeth of these pawl members havetheir right angle corners 30 aligned the heads or teeth 21 will fallinto the reservoir recess 23 the teeth 21 will engage each other andcoupling members of both cars willbecome inter-locked and may notbereleased until either of the pawl handles 26 are manipulated byswinging said handles to disengage one tooth 21 from the other. a g

It is to be noted that certain changes in form and construction may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the v invention.

Iclaim: v

A car coupling device comprising a pair of substantially rectangularplates rigidly attached to each other, forming a unitary member of athickness equal to the sum of the thicknesses of the two plates, one endof said member having an angular cut-out bounded by intersecting sides,one of said intersecting sides of one of said plates being continued ina straightline to' the opposite side ofsaid plate to form an elongatedcam'surface on said plate, the opposite intersecting side on the otherof said plates being'likewise continued to form a similar but oppositelydisposed cam surface on said other plate, the ends of said plates beingthereby formed into oppositely-disposed tongues, a pawl pivotallymounted on said member and having a jaw thereon lying adjacent saidcut-out, and resilient means normallyurging said jaw into said position.J I

' In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

EDWARD 1?.FICKEISSEN.

